Tiger Owl

Chapter 175 Overwhelming Hefei
These past few days, Jia Xu has been somewhat uneasy. He is fully aware of everything that has happened in Jiangdong, including Sun Ben's defeat of the Jiangdong army's counterattack, and he also knows that Zhang Zhao went to Chaisang.

In fact, Jia Xu was really worried about Gan Ning. If Gan Ning sent troops, things would get really complicated.

Sun Ben's unauthorized deployment of troops to Danyang County infuriated Jia Xu. His lord had provided funds and supplies to build ships for him, intending to use them in a crucial moment, just before Cao Cao's southern offensive. That would be the time to launch a surprise attack on Danyang County. Unexpectedly, Sun Ben launched the attack without consulting him. Wasn't this ruining his lord's grand plan?
Jia Xu believed that Gan Ning could also see that Gan Ning would never allow Sun Ben to remain stationed in Jiangnan, and that he would definitely send troops.

At this moment, a guard reported from below the hall, "Reporting to Military Advisor Jia, news has come from Jiujiang County that Lujiang County has been captured by the Yuzhang Army!"

Jia Xu was stunned. He hadn't expected Gan Ning to act so quickly, and he was immediately flustered.

He immediately ordered, "Quickly fetch General Yue to see me!"

That evening, Jia Xu and Yue Jin led an army of 50,000 men away from Guangling County and marched swiftly toward Jiujiang County.

Jia Xu was extremely anxious. Jiujiang Commandery was a strategic node for Cao Cao's army north of the Yangtze River, and it was related to the food and logistical supplies for the army's southward advance. If it could not be captured by Gan Ning, he would not be able to explain himself to his lord.

It's not far from Shuxian to Hefei, only about 100 li as the crow flies, but you can't get there in a straight line; you have to go around Chaohu Lake, which doubles the distance.

Three days later, the 60,000-strong army by land and sea arrived in Hefei almost simultaneously. The garrison in Hefei consisted of only 3,000 men, commanded by Colonel Dong Hui.

At this moment, Dong Hui stood on the city wall, looking at the overwhelming army and the endless fleet in the distance. His legs trembled slightly. He only had three thousand men. How could he defend Hefei County?
Gan Ning was also watching this famous city from the Three Kingdoms period. He coldly ordered, "Shoot an arrow to send a message to the garrison commander!"

A cavalryman galloped towards the city wall, reached the moat, drew his bow, and shot an arrow towards the city wall. A letter was pierced through the shaft of the arrow.

A soldier found the arrow and immediately ran to hand it to Dong Hui. Dong Hui took the letter and saw that it was addressed to Lieutenant Dong Hui and signed by Marquis of Wuchang, Gan Ning. Dong Hui sighed inwardly. Sure enough, it was Gan Ning. Moreover, he knew that he was the commander-in-chief. It seemed that he knew everything.

Dong Hui opened the letter and read it carefully. After a long while, he sighed. Several generals beside him asked, "Captain Dong, what do you say?"

"It's a letter from Gan Ning himself. They gave us two options: surrender within an hour or retreat from the north city. He won't stop us, otherwise..."

"Otherwise what?"

Dong Hui sighed deeply, "We're all going to die!"

"Captain, what should we do?"

Dong Hui gave a wink to a trusted general beside him, who immediately understood and suggested, "We only have three thousand men, but judging from the enemy's posture, they probably have a hundred thousand troops. How can we hold out? Captain, why don't we retreat?"

This was Dong Hui's idea. As the commander-in-chief, he couldn't propose it himself, so he had his subordinates come up with this plan.

Dong Hui then looked at the generals beside him, "What do you think?"

The crowd echoed, "How can three thousand men possibly stand against an army of one hundred thousand? They'll be crushed to dust. Let's retreat!"

Dong Hui nodded. "Since the army wants to retreat, I won't insist. Order the entire army to retreat from the north city immediately!"

A quarter of an hour later, three thousand troops rushed out of the north city and marched in a mighty procession toward Shouchun County.

A scout immediately reported to Gan Ning, "General, the enemy has retreated north!"

Gan Ning nodded and ordered, "The army enters the city!" Soon, Zhao Yun's thousand troops occupied the city, opened the south gate, and lowered the drawbridge, allowing the army to enter the city in a grand procession.

Currently, the general guarding Jiujiang Commandery is Sun Fu, the younger brother of Sun Ben. Sun Ben has a total of 60,000 troops. He took 20,000 troops to Danyang County, 20,000 troops to Lujiang Commandery, and 20,000 troops to guard Jiujiang Commandery.

Of the 20,000 troops left to guard Jiujiang Commandery, 17,000 were stationed in Shouchun and 3,000 in Hefei. Shouchun was Sun Ben's capital, and his family and wealth were all in Shouchun, so Sun Fu naturally had to defend Shouchun to the death.

Although Hefei was a strategic location, it was only Cao Cao's strategic location, not theirs. Therefore, Sun Fu only reluctantly sent three thousand men to guard Hefei.

Sun Fu already knew about the fall of Hefei. Dong Hui led 3,000 men back to Shouchun. Sun Fu did not punish Dong Hui, after all, the enemy's strength was far inferior to his own, and Dong Hui did not surrender. Instead, he led his troops back to Shouchun, thus saving his 3,000 troops.

Just then, Sun Fu received news that Jia Xu had personally led an army of 50,000 to arrive, which finally put Sun Fu's mind at ease.

When Jia Xu learned that Sun Fu had abandoned Hefei and that Hefei had been captured by Gan Ning, Jia Xu's face turned extremely ugly. He was about to burst into a tirade of curses. They had risked their lives to come here to protect Hefei, only to have Gan Ning occupy it without firing a single shot.

Sun Fu said dismissively, "I only have 20,000 troops, which can only defend one place. Of course, I will defend Shouchun. Hefei is not important to us, so we have to give it up!"

Jia Xu almost spat out blood. This was the first time he had ever heard anyone say that Hefei was unimportant. These two brothers were the same—simple-minded and lacking any sense of the big picture. One launched a surprise attack on Danyang County, and the other abandoned Hefei County. They were simply a pair of idiots.

Jia Xu gritted his teeth and said, "Can't you divide your troops and station 10,000 soldiers in each city? If you can hold Hefei, my main force will arrive soon."

"With only 20,000 troops in total, of course we must concentrate our forces to protect Shouchun. Military Advisor Jia, the enemy has an army of 100,000!"

"How could he possibly have 100,000 troops? He only has a little over 100,000 troops in total. If he takes most of the army with him, isn't he afraid that Liu Biao will raid his base?"
"If Strategist Jia wants to retake Hefei, we are willing to cooperate."

Jia Xu was speechless. He lost Hefei so easily, and now he wants to gather a large army to take it back. Isn't that crazy?

Jia Xu immediately said to General Yue Jin, "General Yue, lead your troops to garrison in Shouchun. I'm going to Hefei to talk to Gan Ning!"

Le Jin asked worriedly, "Wouldn't this be too dangerous?"

Jia Xu waved his hand, "I've known Gan Ning for a long time. He won't hurt me. If I'm not mistaken, he's waiting for me to come over!"

As dawn broke, mist blanketed the surface of Chaohu Lake. Xu Shu led three hundred warships and ten thousand soldiers to surround Gushan Island in Chaohu Lake. Gushan Island was Xu Qian's stronghold, a fact known to everyone in Chaohu.

Xu Shu didn't actually care whether Xu Qian was on the island or not; he only cared that Xu Qian's wealth was on the island.

Xu Qian led three hundred personal guards on horseback in haste to escape, unable to take any wealth with him, indicating that the wealth he had embezzled had already been transported away, most likely to his old lair on Gushan Island.

"Let's go!" Xu Shu gave the order.

Two thousand soldiers were left to guard the ship, while the remaining eight thousand soldiers went ashore and marched toward a manor in the center of the island. That manor, which covered two hundred acres, was Xu Qian's stronghold.

Eight thousand soldiers smashed open the gates and rushed into the manor. Hundreds of guards fought desperately, but they were no match for the army. A volley of crossbow bolts killed or wounded most of the hundreds, and the rest were terrified and knelt down to surrender.

Thousands of Yuzhang soldiers stormed into the houses and began arresting people.

(End of this chapter)